Good CTA’s That Will Increase Clicks

CTA’s are an amazing way to get your audience engaged. Whether on your website, social media, or email marketing, your brand will want to use blunt, relatable, bold, subtle but efficient CTA's that use psychology, funny, and/or are different. Which type you choose will depend on the marketing campaign's goal. CTA’s can take a few different forms. They can be buttons, submission forms, banners, links, pop-ups, and/or slide-ins. When you’re creating your CTA marketing it’s important to know the goals. Think about these questions:

1.     Why do customers visit your website?

2.     What problems are they here to solve?

3.     What is your solution to their problems?

Typically, the most effective CTA is the most basic and in today’s world AI can even come up with them for you. However, if you’re a human looking to create an effective CTA, here are some examples to use for higher success rates.

1.     Get started now

2.     Learn more

3.     Start your free trial now

4.     Subscribe now

5.     Get your free (insert item or service here)

6.     Chat with us

7.     Order today while supplies last

8.     Sign up for our newsletter

9.     Share this on social media

Good CTA’s will help the customer find an easy route to purchase. The easier you make their journey, the more likely they will buy. Make sure to create an exceptional design that makes the CTA pop out of the page. Proper placement will also ensure that the eyes are drawn toward them. Keep it short and sweet with the clear benefits of clicking and watch the leads roll in.

Ben Franklin Effect on Advertising

“He that has once done you a Kindness will be more ready to do you another, than he whom you have obliged.”

-Ben Franklin in his Autobiography

Locomotive is now based out of Philadelphia, so what more appropriate topic than the Ben Franklin effect in our home city of the founding father? Otherwise known as the cognitive dissonance theory, the Ben Franklin effect is a phenomenon when asking someone to do you a favor can make them like you more. The idea is that because that person does you a favor they are more likely to be convinced that the person is likable. Here’s how the process works inside our brains:

1.     You ask someone for a favor

2.     They agree

3.     Their brain looks for an explanation for why they did you said favor

4.     Their brain struggles to reconcile

5.     It rewires to explain the favor because they view you positively

6.     Now that person views you in a positive light instead of a negative one

 So, how would this theory work in advertising and marketing for brands? Small favors, such as customer feedback can be one of the best ways to use the Ben Franklin effect. Don’t forget to thank them for their time! Another way would be to make a game or challenge out of something, such as completing a small task or answering an easy question. This can increase the loyalty of your customers. They will also be inclined to do your brand more, larger favors down the road.

Ways to Collect Customer Feedback

Customer feedback is one of the most useful tools for a brand to improve areas of dissatisfaction if there are any. Not only that, it can help you get to know your audience better and you can see what your brand is doing right too. It can strengthen your brand reputation as one who cares about its audience and sees them as more than just a paycheck. Here are a few of our top choices for collecting customer feedback.

1.     Surveys with incentives: these are a great tool and entice people to take them to receive something in return for their time.  

2.     Net Promoter Score (NPS): this keeps it short and simple for your audience. It will ask a single question, such as, “How like are you to recommend our brand to a friend or colleague?” The answer is a scale of 0-10. Zero is not at all and 10 is definitely. Those that rate you high should be asked for reviews, testimonials, etc. if they’re interested.

3.     Emails: check in with customers on a regular basis. Email marketing is a great way to do this. Some tools allow you to create small surveys within MailChimp to gather information about certain brand topics.

4.     Social media: read comments and see what people are saying about your brand.

5.     Interviews IRL: a lot can be missed with just online feedback. Body language is nonexistent behind a keyboard so it’s important to engage with some customers in person. Read their body language and the tone of their voice. These can tell you a lot but make sure you ask the right questions to get the information you need. The more specific the better.

6.     Website Live Chatbot: collect information from the live chatbot on your website. Have them ask a question when your customers come to your brand website landing page.

Finding out what your audience really wants from you and how they currently perceive your brand should be your top priority. Happy clients equal happy revenue streams. Humanizing your brand to audience connection with strengthen your relationship.

Customer Lifecycle Management Strategies

Every one of us goes on a journey when we decide to become a customer of a brand. Good brands understand that it is more than just getting a one-time deal closed and building lasting relationships with their audience. Customer lifecycle is the process of an individual becoming aware of a brand, purchasing from them, and sticking around for repeat business. Customer lifecycle management is all about managing this journey by tracking the stages, assigning metrics, and measuring the successes of those metrics. There are several stages of the customer lifecycle: 1. Reach 2. Acquisition 3. Conversion 4. Retention 5. Loyalty. Analysis of each stage is pivotal to managing each customer’s journey.

• Reach: this is where you want to find when, how, and why potential customers find your brand. How did they find out about you? Was it a search engine or WOM and what is your performance on these channels? What’s their perceived reputation of you? Hopefully, it is good. This is where they reach out for further information on your product/service.

• Acquisition: this is the area where you want to focus on the tools that you offer your audience, such as blogs, social media, websites, etc. This stage is where they visit your brand via the web, social media, etc., so you want to ensure that each is efficient in providing them with information about your company. Some should be engaging so that you can generate leads here as well. What kind of content is on your website to help them make the purchase? Are there enticing offers?

• Conversion: this is where you want to analyze what is and what isn’t working. Are there any barriers to making the purchase, such as poor website navigation, etc.? Are you making sure that they see the value in your product/service? Do you have a clear refund policy listed?

• Retention: this is where you look at your audience’s satisfaction with your brand. Are they happy with their purchases? Can you personalize their experience more? You want to ensure that they stick around for the long haul. Use customer service surveys and satisfaction scores to find out. Make sure to offer something in return for their feedback.

• Loyalty: one of the most difficult to build but most important. Are there ways for your loyal customers to share and spread the word about your brand? Referral programs, loyalty programs, and exclusive perks are great during this stage. You will know a customer is in this stage once they have made multiple purchases from you. We all know that WOM advertising is the best type of advertising.

There are a couple of ways to manage your customer’s lifecycle. Understanding and analyzing each step is only part of the process.

1. Reach:

   1. Identify the audience that’s right for you

   2. Share relevant content

2. Acquisition

   1. Offer self-service resources

   2. Proactive customer service

3. Conversion

   1. Remove any barriers from the purchase stage

   2. Offer support during purchasing

4. Retention

   1. Personalize experience after purchase

   2. Automation

5. Loyalty

   1. Ask for customer reviews

   2. Encourage referrals

Managing the customer lifecycle can seem daunting, but if your brand focuses on staying on top of it with each customer, it won’t be very difficult. There are automated systems to help you do so. Tracking your customer’s lifecycle is important to help your brand take control and increase your loyal customer base.

Foot in the Door Method

What in the world is foot in the door method? Well, the idea is that if someone will comply with a small request then they are likely to comply with a larger request later. Obviously, not all foot-in-the-door methods are unethical. The famous test was conducted by Jonathan Freedman and Scott Fraser when they went to homeowners in Palo Alto asking them if they would put up a large sign in their yards that said, “Drive Carefully.” Only 17% said yes. The second group was asked to place a small 3” sign in their windows advocating safe driving. They almost all agreed. Then, after two weeks that second group was asked to put up a large sign advocating safe driving and 76% of them said yes. This was proof that this method does, in fact, work. At the core of this method is the principle of commitment and consistency which serves as the customer’s first action. This sets the precedent for their behavior and attitude toward the brand. They almost feel obligated to complete a second task asked of them by the brand since they’ve already committed to them. In order for this to work in marketing the first action must bevoluntary! If the first action is public, personal, or expensive, the more likely they will commit to a second action. Here are some ways to invest in the foot-in-the-door method.

1.     Use sign-up forms: this helps secure leads as well but aside from that it gets the customer to commit to signing up, even if it’s free.

2.     Offer something free: this can be in the form of a free consultation, free samples with a purchase, etc. when they start their online shopping journey.

3.     Remind them of their purchases: this can be in the form of reviewing something they purchased from your brand but it also reinforces their bond with your brand.

4.     Make good recommendations: think of Netflix. They always want you to rate something you watched in order further personalize your experience with them so they can recommend more things that may interest you. Another example is how Amazon suggests, “Customers who bought this also bought ___ item.” This will strengthen the bond between the brand and the audience.

The most important thing about this method is that you get your audience to volunteer something to start. That’s the only way it will work. It makes them more likely to purchase something larger from you later on. Always get feedback and personalize their experiences as well. Remind them that they are not just numbers on a spreadsheet. Humanizing their experiences with your brand will increase their loyalty to you!

The Endowment Effect on Marketing/Advertising

The endowment effect is a byproduct of loss aversion. It states that once people own something they have established the property right that they now own it. Now that they feel it is there it automatically has more value to that person. Think about when stocks fall and shareholders hold on to their shares for too long because they’re afraid of losing money. They inevitably lose in the end in this situation. The point here is that it’s the cognitive bias that creates the endowment effect, making them value their shares and hold them for too long when the smart thing to do would be to sell them off as soon as possible to minimize loss. An example of the endowment effect in marketing and advertising would be in the way of coupons or discounts. The shopper already feels that they own a part of the product and it increases their willingness to pay. Here are some other ways to use the endowment effect in your marketing strategy.

1.     Free trials: let the user try the product before they purchase it. This will set ownership from the get-go and the longer they use it, the more willing they will be to pay once the trial is up.

2.     Giveaways: whether this is a coupon or discount code, this kicks in ownership and will trigger loss aversion if there is an expiration date.

3.     Basic Free Versions: this will give users an account that will spark ownership. If they like the platform enough they can then upgrade and will be more willing to pay.

4.     If possible, use touch screens: a study found that users who interact with touch screens have more of a sense of ownership and in turn, the endowment effect.

As we’ve learned from previous articles we’ve written, the power of the human mind is astounding. The endowment effect just comes down to creating a sense of ownership for the customer. Brands can also use personalize to create a sense of ownership and attachment. This is a useful tool in the marketing and advertising world.

Search Advertising: A Deeper Look

We’ve written articles on pay-per-click advertising but we wanted to know how search advertising works on a deeper level so we did a dive. First, let’s define search advertising. We all search for things every day on Google. Do you know those sponsored ads that are placed at the top of your search results? Those are search ads. All search engines offer search advertising for advertisers. You’re probably wondering, “What other search engines are there besides Google?” Well, there are a few other than Google but they take the number one spot with 77.43% of the market. After that you have something called Baidu at 8.13%, Microsoft Bing with 7.31%, Yahoo with 5.6%, and lastly, Ask at a whopping 0.13%. As you can see they really dominate the market. So, how do these ads work? Let’s use Google since they’re the dominant search engine out there. They use a second-price auction system. This system uses an auction for advertisers to beat out others in order to get a higher spot on the search list. However, that is not the only factor. They also use the advertiser’s ad rank to keep out poor-quality paid ads that link to terrible landing pages. Not every Joe Shmo can just bid on search engine ranks. Here’s how it works:

1.     Advertisers create ads that bid on keywords:

a.     Let’s say you’re an ad agency like ours that focuses on user-generated content advertising. You might bid on keywords like UGC advertising agency, UGC ad agency, etc.

b.     The agency will place their max bid that they’re willing to pay for the ad

2.     Someone searches: keywords matter so choose wisely what your agency will use

3.     Google looks for a match: this is called keyword matching. This is where Google searches to see if others in your industry are bidding on that word(s).

4.     The auction starts: for each account bidding on keywords, Google will choose one keyword for each account to enter the auction.

The winners are not necessarily the highest bidders as we stated above. It will depend on the quality score of relevance, expected click-through rate, and user experience. Relevance is how relevant your ad is to the search intention. CTR is how likely your ad is to get clicked on if shown. UX is how relevant your landing page is to your ad as well as the usefulness of the experience to the user. Second, is the ad rank we talked about above. It is simply the max bid plus the quality score. Lastly, the cost per click is considered. This is determined by your ad rank of the ad below yours divided by your quality score plus $0.1.

Search ads can be a great way to get eyes on your business. Google ads have an ROI of 800% and receive 65% of clicks for buying keywords vs only 35% for organic search results. Since Google is the most trusted search engine in the world their credibility is high. Therefore, any sponsored ad will be viewed as credible. These search ads are incredibly effective and cost-efficient. They can help drive sales and traffic to your site.

Using UGC for Social Proof

Building the credibility of your brand can be as simple as harnessing user-generated content in the way of reviews, shoppable content, galleries, etc. When your current audience already positively advocates for you on public social media spaces, it fuels growth. We’ve done great campaigns that utilize social proof user-generated content in their advertisements, such as IT Cosmetics and Marshalls. Most of these videos were videos of people either using the product, conducting real-time shopping, unboxing, product review, and/or generally flaunting their purchases. When the audience sees the average-day person vouch for a product or service, it’s more relatable to themselves. They’re more likely to trust the opinion of someone who seems genuine, invested, and honest. “60% of people say that content from a friend or family member influences their purchasing decisions,” according to Stackla. This is important because it is social proof for potential customers and will build their confidence in purchasing from the brand. Working with UGC in advertising is just one way to obtain the social proof your brand needs to push that WOM marketing. There are a few other ways to showcase social proof of your brand if your brand can’t quite afford to do UGC advertising campaigns.

1.         Surveys

2.         Social media challenges

3.         Hashtag challenges

4.         Contests or giveaways

5.         Reviews

6.         Case studies or success stories

7.         Influencer or content creator collaboration

These are all great ways to increase social proof through UGC. However, with that said, it’s important to obtain proper permissions for any user-generated content that you receive on social media, etc. Copyright laws are our specialty in the way of using user-generated content for ads, but other sources are a little different. So, content creators must be aware that their photos and videos will be used in contests, challenges, etc. on social media. Following proper practices here will keep your brand safe from any issues. Reposting content is a great way to increase eyes on your brand while providing social proof from creators. UGC is a way to make your brand stand out and outshine all the rest!

How to Build Lasting Content Creator Relationships

“93% of marketing professionals use influencer marketing to increase brand awareness, build trust, reach their target audience, drive conversions, and connect to a wider market” (Influencer Marketing Hub). We know we work with content creators every day as well as influencers. Brands using real people to get their name out there to the right audience are really on to something. We may be biased since we know the power of UGC ad campaigns firsthand, but we want to chat a little about the importance of creating a relationship with creators that will last a long time. Successful creator-brand relationships are no different from any other and must be nurtured. They’re very valuable for both parties involved. The brand gets to spread awareness while the content creator also gets cross-promotion to increase their brand awareness as well. It’s important to keep the collaboration positive. Here are some tips to create and foster a great brand-creator relationship.

1.     Check-in: check in with them often and show your appreciation for them. Communication is vital!

2.     Communicate clearly: make sure that you provide them with concise and detailed briefs on what you need from them. This will lower any mistakes from confusion and streamline the work process.

3.     Don’t micromanage: you have to trust them. Treat them as if you understand that they’ve worked hard to build their content brand and know what they’re doing. There is a reason that you chose them to collaborate with. Don’t lose sight of that.

4.     Compensation: be on time with payments and make sure that you’re paying them accordingly. You show them that you value their work and will build greater trust between you both.

When both sides are happy the relationship will continue to be productive and reciprocal. This collaboration has become a large part of marketing strategies for most brands. With happy creators, the content they create will be meaningful. You will see in the content’s quality that they are fully invested in the brand.

Fun Friday Feature 7/14

We wanted to do something fun for today and go back to our ad of the week article. Today we want to feature the ad recently done by Maybelline. They pulled a great stunt where they put eyelashes on the tube in London. When the underground got close to the platform they had a mascara brush that combed the lashes back as it came to a stop. To read more about the ad or view it visit the Evening Standard.

Technical Marketing

The devil is in the details…. That’s exactly what technical marketing is all about. It focuses on the specifications features of a product and/or service. It comes in useful for a number of industries but especially software, manufacturing, healthcare, and electronics. They can be marketing efforts in the way of instruction manuals, help articles, user manuals, etc. Technical marketing appeals to new customers who may not know about a certain product or service that you offer. Typically, advertising stays away from being overly explicit to appeal to people but technical marketing is the opposite so people will become interested and develop and interest in the product. Technical marketers should possess certain skills, such as:

1.     Content marketing

2.     Problem solving

3.     Writing

4.     Creativity

5.     R&D

6.     Community development

7.     Collaboration

8.     Branding

9.     Adaptability

10.  Public speaking

Technical marketing will be an important marketing strategy for any brand so it’s important to create a clear strategy that delivers the message clearly. It’s time to get people excited about what your product/service has to offer!

Top Brands That Leverage UGC Advertising

It’s no secret anymore that to increase, authenticity, trust and lead generation, brands are leveraging the power of user-generated content and found content in their advertising campaigns. According to Adweek, “85% of the users are found to be more influenced by the UGC than the content made by the brands directly.” We’ve had the pleasure of working with some of these brands on more than one occasion. Here is a list of brands that have experienced the positives effects of UGC advertisements with great spots!

1. FORD

   1. Summer’s Hard

   2. 119 Years of Building, 2022

   3. The Vast & the Various, 2022

   4. Ford Ranger, Fully Prepared, 2023

2. UBER

   1. Uber Eats, Get Anything

   2. Earn Like a Boss, 2023

3. Apartments Dot Com

   1. How to Stay Cool Without AC, 2023

4. ESPN

   1. Ready for Football, 2019

   2. NCAA Semi Finals, 2020/2021

5. OREO

   1. Stay Home Stay Playful, 2020

   2. Stay Playful, 2021

   3. Play is Waiting, 2022

6. PEMCO

   1. Healer of the Hail Storm, 2019

   2. A Lot Can Go Wrong in a Second, 2020

   3. We Insure Ambition, 2022

   4. A Lot Can Happen in a Second, 2023

While there are so many more brands that harness the power of UGC, these brands have done so on more than one occasion. To name a few, Tide, Hefty, Microsoft XBOX, Prudential, Care First Health, Pringles, Ritz Crackers and Delta Airlines. There are too many to name but these top brands know what’s up. If you’re a brand looking to learn more about how to

Current State of Remote Work 2023: The Evolution of the Work from Home Model

“As of 2023, 12.7% of full-time employees work from home, while 28.2% work a hybrid model” …. It’s also estimates that, “by 2025, 32.6 million Americans will work remotely.” (Forbes). I think it’s safe to say that the pandemic changed the workforce as we know it but what do management teams think and where is it headed? Certain CEO’s like Bob Iger are announcing that employees are expected to return into office at least four days a week soon and Drum recently reported that companies who “put up with [remote work] for a long time are finally getting sick of it.” Although some report being more productive at home, the data that companies are getting is proving otherwise. Here are there reasonings:

1.     Remote work is hard for new hires: the onboarding experience seems to take hold better in person than virtual they say.

2.     People work less: everyone says that they work more but some data sets are showing otherwise. People tend to work 3.5 hours less per week when working from home. However, the remote workers argue that they have a better work-life balance and are more focused when at home. Quality of work is much higher.

3.     Productivity is very low on days when everyone works remotely: certain CEO’s believe that when their whole team is remote, they are less productive overall. While we can’t speak for an entire group of people, most are just the same if not more productive.

It seems that higher ups are trying to remove remote work from the equation but we think that their efforts won’t pan out. People say that if they aren’t offered the option of at least hybrid work they’ll find a job that will. If bosses want their employees back in the office full-time they’ll have to make a stronger argument. We just don’t think that the “data” they have is feasible enough to require full-time in office employment with all the remote work benefits. Not only is it mentally better for employees, it is better for our planet. We love our remote business structure at Locomotive and we won’t be changing it any time soon.

Benefits of Working in the Ad Industry

We absolutely love what we do! We would scream it to the rooftops if we could. Not only are we part of the advertising industry, we are a niche brand that focuses on user-generated content and found content campaigns, so we get to work with agencies and content creators. We know there are pitfalls in any industry, including the Advertising game, but since we aren’t your typical ad agency, we don’t have to deal with many of the talked about issues. Here are some of our favorite things about working in the industry!

1.     You get to be creative! This is our top reason to work in advertising. Yes, we get a creative brief from our clients but that doesn’t mean we don’t get to use our own creative juices at work. Finding, sourcing, and clearing content is a very creative process.

2.     It’s a social environment: we love being social. It’s a big part of who we are and how we feel energized. In advertising, there is constant collaboration with others on your team. For us, it’s also with outside advertising teams that we’re working alongside. Not only does that mean it is a very collaborative industry, you also learn and grow often from others.

3.     Consistent work/income: as an entrepreneur, this doesn’t come without a lot of hard work and discouraging moments. However, if you have a passion for what you do, put in the time for lead generation and do a stellar job on your projects that generate WOM marketing, the business will come your way!

4.     Networking: there are a multitude of events that promote networking in the ad industry. Whether it be just a simple webinar or Cannes, one of the largest advertising events in the world each year.

Don’t get us wrong, working in the ad industry requires a lot of grueling hours but it is also a very gratifying job at the end of the day. There can be high workloads and intense pressure to be creative on a deadline. But let’s not forget that pressure creates diamonds! Seeing content that we found and cleared in the final commercial is the biggest reward! With that being said, advertising is not for the faint of heart and it should really be considered when deciding on a career choice. But the diversity of the projects keeps careers interesting all the time. This style of work will require a lot of multitasking skills. We work hard and we play hard. Your hard work will be showcased publicly in the spotlight so it’s important to understand this as well as how the industry can be fast-paced and high-energy at times. We love keeping things interesting in our work life so it’s the job for us but will it be the job for you?

Plastic Free July 2023

1 million plastic bottles are purchased every minute (Tenstsile) and it’s estimated that 75-200 million tons of this plastic is currently floating around in the ocean (Recycle Track Systems). If you know us as a brand, you know that we’re passionate about the environment and doing our part to lower emissions to reduce climate change. That said, this month is plastic free July. We ask that you please join us the movement to set forward lifestyle changes that we can pass to future generations. You can start with something as simple as buying a reusable water bottle and coffee cup. If you want to get really into it, you can avoid using single use plastic bathroom supplies by making your own mouthwash. The choice is yours but here are some tips for you to get started for plastic free July.

1.     No more take away cups! Buy a reusable water and coffee cup

2.     Use bar soap for hand soap: this will reduce single use plastic vastly.

3.     DO NOT BUY BOTTLED WATER!!! a good option is Liquid Death canned water!

4.     Buy reusable shopping bags: most states have actually banned them now so we’re on the right track!

5.     Buy less and/or buy in bulk! Choose to buy larger quantities and use reusable bags to store the items if you can. Buying less can also reduce the amount of plastic pollution.

6.     Buy glass Tupperware containers: These can be found on amazon or even at your local Hobby Lobby now. Typically, the lids are made of bamboo

7.     REFUSE PLASTIC STRAWS! There’s really no reason to use a straw to begin with. We’re not children….

8.     Find a local refill store: there are plenty of refill stores that promote sustainability now. You take your own glass containers and they have an array of options for bathroom supplies, household cleaners, etc.

9.     Stop using balloons and plastic decorations: yes, they’re cute but they’re terrible for the environment. Use sustainable decorations.

10.  Ladies, buy reusable sanitary items: there are plenty alternative to tampons and pads now, such as cups, etc.

It seems overwhelming at first when you start trying to live a plastic free life. However, once you start, you realize that it isn’t as difficult as you thought. We can attest to this. We frequent our local refill store for cleaning supplies, shampoo, conditioner, laundry powder, and dishwasher pods. At this point, we even make our own mouthwash! We understand that it’s not totally feasible to be completely plastic free 100% of the time but it’s just important to do your best as much as you can. When you can’t, make sure to recycle the plastic items you had to purchase. Good luck! We hope this helps you start your plastic free journey!

The Horn Effect

We wrote an article recently on the halo effect and touched briefly on its ugly sibling, the horn effect. But, we didn’t’ dive too deep into the topic so we wanted to circle back here today and chat about it a little. The human brain is such an amazing organ. It categorizes through the lenses of our experiences, creating cognitive bias. The horn effect occurs when we have a negative first impression of something and let it affect how we see every everything about that thing. We tend to see this bias come up a lot in the hiring process, unfortunately. We’ve all heard how important it is to make a good first impression. This is one reason why. When the horn effect takes hold of our judgement, we tend to underplay good traits and a negative impression is much stronger than a positive one. Understanding the halo and horn effects can help prevent strong cognitive biases in the workplace. If we begin to understand how they work we can see them and begin to break them down.

Supporting Content Creators

“44% of content creators say their creator business is their family’s primary source of income,” according to The Tilt, but only “12% of those full-time creators make more than $50K in annual income” (Linktree). If you do the math here that’s not a whole lot of rich and famous for these people. Well, maybe a little bit of famous, minus the rich. Depending on where you live, $50,000 isn’t a whole lot for one person to make annually, especially if they have families to support. We’ve been working with content creators for almost a decade now and we truly love supporting them. They’re the best kind of client we work with. Usually they’re just normal people with no frills attached. They easy to communicate with and grateful to license their content to us for our campaigns. Thus far, we’ve paid out over $1,500,000 to content creators since Locomotive Contents formation. Here are some ways that you can support some of your favorite content creators or even friends who may be part of the creator economy.

1.     Amplify their voices: share their social media posts. Talk about them to friends who might be interested in what they offer. This one is the most important. It’s more important to share content from creators who are closer to us than those that we don’t even know. Help them expand their brand through engagement.

2.     Buy their stuff: this can be through using their discount codes for certain brands they are affiliated with or just buying something they sell through their website. If they have merch, buy that. if they sell a service, try it out.

3.     Write them a review: word of mouth is great, but we all know that people really do read reviews. If they write blogs shoot them a comment of feedback.

These creators put a lot of time and hard work into their craft, whatever that niche may be. It’s important to support them and help them grow their brands just like any other business. For many, this is a full-time gig. They’re very different from influencers in more ways than we can count. Join us in supporting the creator economy around the world!

Skills for Success in Advertising

Advertising is a very creative field and if you have a passion for what you do, everything you create will embody this. It’s a very social driven field as well, especially since we specialize in user-generated content. As in any business there are specific traits that will lead to success. Here are our top 5.

1.     Social media savvy: any brand should be good at social media nowadays. With advertising though it’s very important to keep up with trends, post and track your ad campaigns just to name a few reasons why this will be important to success. For us, it’s important to sourcing our content from people.

2.     Creativity: Duh but we have to put it. Chances are that if you’re in advertising you’re probably already creative. The ad industry will allow you to really hone in on your creative strengths.

3.     Collaboration: brainstorming will be important in creating good ads. You have to be able to work well with others. Listening actively and implementing ideas is key but also taking constructive criticisms.

4.     Computer skill: two words for you… digital media. Photoshop and Illustrator are very important to know how to use. You will definitely spend a lot of time on your computer so having skill in this area will make your day to day much smoother.

5.     Research skill: important for case studies, competitor, etc. If you have these skills then it makes the R&D phase streamlined

Creativity ultimately drives good advertising but there are a number of things that go into making a successful business in advertising. Our niche is UGC, so it requires a lot of research and social media skills. Traditional ad agencies require a lot of backend and include the production side of things too. No matter what part of the ad industry you’re in, one thing is for sure, it is constantly changing and evolving. Being adaptable in this industry will make your brand a huge success!

Creating a Marketing Strategy That Stands Out

We all know how to create a marketing strategy but with every brand out there doing the same things, how do you make your marketing stand out from all the rest? With advertising overload, it is very important to make your brand stand out. Every brand will start out with the same with usual 7 step guide to create their marketing strategy: 1. Build a marketing plan. 2. Create buyer personas. 3. Identify goals. 4. Select the right tools. 5. Review media. 6. Audit and plan. 7. Create it. Great! Now, you’ve got that same start as every other company out there. So now, let’s talk about some extra things that will help give you that extra push to be different in a sea of similarities.

1.     Mobile Friendly Everything! We’re all on the go a lot nowadays and that means looking at things from our phone most of the time. Your sites must be mobile friendly. If I can’t read it from my phone, I don’t want to read it. Period!

2.     Be Unexpected: put your ads somewhere exciting and new. Think outside of the box. Where do your potential customers hang out?

3.     Hook Em’ & Reel Em’ In: we all know that people have short attention spans. You have to hook the audience in immediately and keep them interested if you want your campaigns to succeed. You can get as creative as you want here. Use UGC, interactive ads, etc. Make your campaigns so temping that someone stops what they are doing just to see what it’s all about!

4.     Flaunt Your Differences: we push everyone to celebrate their difference outside the workplace, so doing this for your brand should be no different. What makes your brand stand out from the rest? Be proud of this and show it off. Why are you the best? Be confident but not cocky. You want your message to be seen as genuine but nobody likes vanity.

5.     Be an Innovator: know what’s happening at the forefront of your respective field. What’s the newest topic that everyone is buzzing about. For example, since we’re in the business of social media to grab good user-generated content, we focus on trending challenges and the like. This helps us stay ahead in our niche about what’s going on in the social world.  

6.     Lead with Creative: leading with overly data driven insights will kill your campaign. People tend to, “prioritize the experience of buying and using a product over the performance of the product itself” (McKinsey & Co.) Focusing on the creative aspects of your marketing campaign will, in turn, lead to good metrics down the line.

7.     Ask Experts: don’t be afraid to ask for help! Ever! Have brainstorming sessions with experts in your company or from outside sources. Find out who has the most knowledge of the product, concept, theme, etc. for your new marketing strategy. Ask: What are the challenges I need to solve? What are 1-3 benefits of the product/service? Any special things to consider when creating the campaign?

8.     Use Emotions: UGC really comes in handy here! When you elicit an emotional response from the audience they are compelled to like and share it, which in turn will increase your engagement. It also humanizes your brand.

9.     Personalization: your audience should come first always. Use their first name in marketing emails, etc. Make sure that they feel seen as a person and that they’re not just another number on your papers.

Lastly, you will want to test and use data to always improve on your campaigns. We say create with the message in mind but always follow the data afterward. If something isn’t working be ready to pivot at any given moment in order to reach the right people in the right ways! It takes a village to create an amazing marketing campaign so be open to new ideas from the team and most importantly, have fun!

Increasing Brand Advocacy

We all know that word of mouth marketing is the best type of marketing. So, how does a brand increase its brand advocacy among its loyal audience? Well, it all starts with making sure that your audience and employees are happy. People who enjoy working for you will speak highly about your brand. The same goes for your audience. They can do so through reviews, word of mouth, social media, blogs, etc. UGC is a BIG component here and it’s what we specialize in. Organic brand advocacy is unparalleled. It has a farther reach and it is trusted far more. There are a couple of other things that your brand can do to increase its brand advocacy.

1.     First, you have to identify the specific reasons what people love about your brand. Find customers who love you and through who is engaging and see what it is that they love.

2.     Focus on relationships. Fostering the relationships that you already have through personalization and great customer service is a start. Give more and ask less.

3.     Be an inspiration of authenticity! People want to see that brands are humanized. Showcase your employees. Use UGC in your ad campaigns. Most importantly, walk your talk. If your brand stands for something, stick to it.

4.      Be grateful. Be approachable. Show your customer appreciation publicly and make sure that you feel approachable on social media and other forms of digital spaces.

5.     Reward those that advocate for you. We love a good loyalty member program but it’s also important to give rewards for those who advocate for you on a deeper level. Offer a referral program

The biggest point here is putting your audience first and when you do make sure that it is authentic. People see straight through bs. Cultivating a rapport where there is a two-way communication humanizes your brand. Increase your brands audience through using the one you already have. It’s genius really. Just foster the relationships that are already to create new ones down the line.